Hey =) I'm back with this new fiction even if I don't give up on the other one:) Like the first one, it was written in French so here is the translation made by TheOddManOut. Let me know what you think about this first chapter:) Laura

Chapter 1

" The remainder of our faults is our most trusted companion"

Oliver's point of view:

There are moments in life where you make mistakes. Everybody faces this one moment of their lives. And I can already hear you saying: Everybody makes mistakes. I will respond -without a doubt- that you are right. But there is a BUT. I have always thought there are two types of mistakes. The first category consists of all those small mistakes that are not really important. You make those every day, and they don't really have an effect on your life. But the others, those have quite a different impact on your life and your future. Today, I made one that belonged in the second category. Because I consider our stay in Russia and everything that happened there as a mistake. One that doesn't belong with the small category. Of course, you can always try to find an excuse for what you did, some more valid than others. In my case? I have tried each and every excuse I can come up with. 1) What happened with Isabel wasn't only my fault. 2) That the amount of alcohol I drank that evening made it sort of happen. 3) That the worry and the stress from the mission made me do things I didn't really want to do. But you can try to come up with excuses, it doesn't work. Because what happened was my mistake. It's time for me to admit it.

I think things would be easier if it was only about MY mind, and MY regrets. But it doesn't matter if I want it or not, it isn't just about me and Isabel anymore. It is about HER. Felicity. Since we returned, things have been complicated between the two of us. Tension. That is the only word I can come up with to express what is happening between her and me. The day after our return to Starling City, I have found her at her desk, busily tapping away on her keyboard. I walked past her desk and she made sure she didn't look up, so she ignored me walking by. I wanted to stop, walk closer to her to force her to look at me and say her something, to say to her that I was sorry. To make her understand that I regretted everything that happened. But I didn't do it. Because I didn't know how to do it. To tell you the truth, I was afraid. Afraid to see that look in her eyes again, the look she gave me when she stood in front of the hotel door. A mixture of sadness and betrayal.

Since then, life at the office, a life we pretended was banal, was different. I didn't hear her stumbling over her own sentences when she didn't agree with me. And I didn't hear her obstinately refusing to get coffee when I had visitors. No. On the contrary. The only thing I heard was the tapping noise of her fingers on the keyboard, a constant sound. And in the worst case, there was silence. A heavy and unbearable silence. She brought coffee without complaining or looking at me. She gave a small smile at my visitor before leaving the room and closing the door. That was it. And when I risked walking up to her desk to ask her to post something, or to schedule a meeting, her response was always the same : « Fine » And the worst of it was, that I knew that one time, we have to, no I HAVE to get a grip on the situation and talk to her. Privately.

Felicity's point of view:

For days and days, I have tried everything to evade Oliver. I did my job, one where I worked for Oliver Queen and the other where I worked for the vigilante. That's all. Above all, even if I felt bad that day, I don't think quitting my job at Queen Consolidated was the solution. For a reason I didn't know. Well, no,not really. I know why it isn't the solution. Because I can't let just leave this alone and despite the fact that I tried to convince myself of the contrary, I couldn't help but hate it and I ended up with my feelings all jumbled. And that's why I evaded them. And the other reason was that every time I thought about it, I remembered the look in his eyes. When I remember it, I am in Russia once again, and everything that had happened came to my mind. I see myself standing naively at the door, I see him, looking surprised to see me when he opened the door, and then: HER, leaving the room and looking at me in a triumphant way, her tight dress still half unzipped on the back. At that moment, the only thing I tried to say was something like « what happened in Russia stays in Russia » I lied. Because it doesn't work like that. I can't just simply forget what I saw, and it is even harder to forget the feeling I had when I understood what had happened. The feeling that my heart was about to shatter. Just as ridiculous as it sounds.

Because even if I have had doubts about it, it was evident Oliver didn't share the feelings I had for him. It was just me. Well done Felicity. It was bound to happen because you fell for the most unattainable man on earth.

I did everything to evade him as much as possible : in the office, in the elevator and when we met up at the lair, I was careful not to talk to him unless it was necessary. Like explaining things to him. If I didn't have to give any information, I listened to him talking with Diggle, that is when I don't succeed in focusing on my work. I have to say that work has become my nr. 1 priority. I passed most of my time in the lair doing research and formatting about everything that could be formatted on the computers. I did that to make sure I didn't get in one of those moments where you start to think about every single thing that you shouldn't think about. Sleeping has become a difficult task, and admittedly, I didn't want to sleep, not if it means having to risk dreaming of Oliver Queen. But I couldn't do that much longer

The day everything started to topple, I went back to Verdant to do research. Again. The words on the screens started to dance in front of my eyes but I know what I was doing and even though being ill isn't something that happens a lot to me, I did know that I feel strange. What is better than getting the flu, right? From the moment I arrived Diggle has given me one of his famous worried looks. He gave me that look every day now. I bet he doesn't understand what was happening.

Everything that has happened in Russia has stayed between Oliver and me, so I guess you can say that Diggle didn't know what has happened there. And I really didn't want him to know. Focusing on the computer, I put my hand on my temple, there where I feel the pain pricking. I knew that Diggle was watching at me and I turned my head to him without saying a word;

-You should rest, he said to me. You need to sleep.

The look he gave me was one that doesn't accept no for an answer. Sighing, I got up from my chair, slightly wobbly on my feet and walked to the couch. I thought about sleeping, and the next moment I woke up in a lying position. I remembered finding myself in a strange dream. I don't know exactly what happened in it but I remembered feeling insecure and fear, a strange mixture of both. It was like someone was watching at me without permission. I don't know exactly how long I have been in between sleeping and being awake, but there is one thing that wakes me up immediately. The first thing I saw when I repositioned myself on the couch was Oliver, he faced me, one hand on my shoulder and a worried look on his face. When I regained enough of my wits to understand what was happening with Oliver and all, I stood up from the couch and at the same time shrugging his hand off my shoulder and walking past him without saying a word. That would have worked if he didn't grab my arm to stop me. I close my eyes, refusing to meet his.

-Go home, Felicity.

-I am doing very well, I replied in a cold manner.

-You are burning with fever. Go home and rest.

I ignored his remark and removed his hand from my arm and took a couple of steps before taking a seat in front of the computer screens. At that moment where I positioned my hands above the keyboard, Oliver turned the chair so that we face one another.

-That wasn't a suggestion. I want you to go home, take a couple of days and get some rest.

-I have work to do! I protested and again brought my hand to the side of my head when a pain hits that was stronger than the last one.

Despite that, I could vaguely hear Oliver asking Diggle to drive me home. I stood up, grabbed my handbag and started to leave;

-I can drive and I…

At the moment I turned to Oliver, I felt my head spinning like a merry go round. In vain, I tried to walk a few steps but I had the impression my body refused to obey to the orders my brain gave it. I hear Oliver's voice, seeming very far away;

-Felicity? Are you okay? Hey!

I didn't have enough time to responds and before I could understand what was happening, I felt my body falling to the ground. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Oliver rushing toward me and calling my name.